Easy Chicken Fricassee

Prep and sear the chicken - Use paper towels to pat the skin side of the chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with the salt and pepper, then coat in the flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to a room temperature large skillet or Dutch oven, skin side down. Turn the heat to medium and let cook for about 8 minutes, or until the skin is a crisp, golden brown and some of the fat has rendered out into the skillet. Flip and let cook for another 2 minutes on the other side, then transfer to a plate, skin side up, and set aside. The chicken will not be fully cooked.

Sauté the mushrooms and vegetables - Add the butter and mushrooms to the pan and let cook, relatively undisturbed, until they start to brown, about 3 minutes. Toss and let cook until they have shrunken to about half of their original size, about 3 more minutes. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs and sauté until the onions are nearly translucent, about 5 minutes.

Deglaze the pan - Add the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and, once the mixture is simmering, add the chicken back to the pan skin side up and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let cook until the chicken is cooked through and registers more than 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened, and the carrots are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Finish the sauce and serve - Add the cream to the center of the pan, gently mixing and swirling to distribute throughout the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed and remove the bay leaf and thyme stems before serving, if desired. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or chives (if using) and serve. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.